Independents

Can the Special Teams Renaissance Continue?

<p>When you hear the name Virginia Tech what's the first thing you think of? Okay, fine, prior to the crushing loss last season, what was the first thing you thought of? Was it special teams? Hokies crashing through lines and vaulting over them to block kicks, in the process conjuring points out of thin air?</p>
<p>That seems to be the general identity attached to the Hokies, but here's an <a href="http://philsteele.com/fbsinfo/2009/09Interesting_Tidbits.html">interesting stat</a> from Phil Steele: Since 2002, VT ranks 10th in the country in blocked kicks with 33. Nebraska ranks seventh over that span with 35. Guy walks up to you on the street and says, "For $500, which of those two teams have blocked more kicks over the last eight seasons," would anyone have taken Nebraska? I wouldn't have.</p>
<p>But for some reason that obscure stat served to remind me that Nebraska has undergone a bit of a special teams renaissance of late. With a lot of title talk on the table, the interesting question going forward is can it continue?</p> <p>I never feel like I think about special teams enough but a quick check of the archives and I've actually been documenting this special teams renaissance without fully realizing it was happening.</p>
<p>First there was this <a href="http://bigrednetwork.com/archives/2009/01/the_difference_between_57_94_p_3.html">crazily specific stat</a>: 2008 represented the first time that Nebraska had hit for the "special teams cycle" (a blocked FG/XP, a blocked punt, a punt return TD and a kickoff return TD in the same season) since 1996. Then, in that same piece, I noted Nebraska's willingness under Pelini to attempt long field goals, a departure from the Callahan era as maddeningly represented by the waning seconds of the Cotton Bowl against Auburn. Then, earlier this spring, a piece on Alex Henery's <a href="http://bigrednetwork.com/archives/2010/04/henery_poised_to_leave_his_mar.html">impact on the record books</a>.</p>
<p>Through all that, I should have realized that Nebraska's special teams was becoming a force but the moment that crystallizes this notion in my mind is the end of the Big 12 Chamionship game. After the whole one second brouhaha with Texas I remember thinking, "Fine, one second left, long field goal, low trajectory, there's a good chance Suh or Crick gets a hand on this." Without really holding any Virginia Tech-esque belief in the Nebraska special teams as a whole, I still truly believed that there was a good chance the Huskers could block the kick.</p>
<p>But, as the Phil Steele stat shows, maybe there is good reason to have Hokie like confidence in the special teams unit. For 2010, Nebraska has perhaps the best kicker in school history back (and he's shown himself pretty adept at double-duty punting as well) AND perhaps their best return man in Niles Paul since DeJuan Groce. Both Henery and Paul made Steele's preseason All-Big 12 teams.</p>
<p>The biggest difference, however, with the special teams situation currently is simply effort. Special teams is the ultimate effort aspect of the game. Eric Martin is the best example of this. His talent, speed, and determination was evident but he wasn't quite there yet in terms of knowledge of the schemes. The solution? Put him on special teams where he became a fan favorite. Some teams emphasize it, others ignore it. At the end of the 2008 season I wrote:</p>
<blockquote>Regardless, I think you can say of Nebraska's special teams play in 2008 that the renewed focus and vigor apparent program wide reared its head here as well and that only bodes will for the future.</blockquote>
<p>I still feel that way and that's important if Nebraska is to have true title aspirations, Big 12 or beyond, this season. Most championship teams win a game or two in that "hidden third" and, with two of their most talented special teamers in recent memory returning, I wouldn't bet the renaissance is over just yet.</p><div class="feedflare">
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When you hear the name Virginia Tech what's the first thing you think of? Okay, fine, prior to the crushing loss last season, what was the first thing you thought of? Was it special teams? Hokies crashing through lines and vaulting over them to block kicks, in the process conjuring points out of thin air?

That seems to be the general identity attached to the Hokies, but here's an interesting stat from Phil Steele: Since 2002, VT ranks 10th in the country in blocked kicks with 33. Nebraska ranks seventh over that span with 35. Guy walks up to you on the street and says, "For $500, which of those two teams have blocked more kicks over the last eight seasons," would anyone have taken Nebraska? I wouldn't have.

But for some reason that obscure stat served to remind me that Nebraska has...

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